1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to footwear, and in particular an article of footwear intended for use with weightlifting.
2. Description of Related Art
Articles of footwear intended for use in weight lifting have been previously disclosed. Malone (U.S. Pat. No. D283,173) is directed at an ornamental design for a body building weight lifting shoe. The Malone design includes a midsole that is sloped along the arch region of the shoe, but flattens at the heel region. Malone does not teach a sloped surface internal to the shoe that would angle the foot and raise the heel significantly.
Some provisions for raising the heel in association with weight lifting moves have also been proposed. Deloreia (U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,523) teaches a weight-training method using a shoe insert to elevate the user's heel while performing weight-training exercises. The wedge-shaped insert is made of a relatively hard rubber or thermoplastic material and is shaped to fit into the heel portion of the user's shoe. Delorieia does not teach a provision for raising the heel that is integral to the article of footwear, but teaches a separate insert that may be used with a general article of footwear.
There is a need in the art for an article of footwear that includes an integrally sloped heel. Furthermore, there is a need for an article of footwear with a substantially non-deforming midsole that may provide additional stability.